Sewing compact



Jan. 16, 1934. H, MCDONQUGH 1,943,542

` SEWING COMPACT Filed June 17, 1932 j@ 5i" /7/7 MW Patented Jan. 16, v1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Lin-3,542

SEWING COMPACT Henry McDonough, Elgin, Ill. Application June 17, 1932. serial No. 617,699" 4 claims. (c1. 223-56) This invention relates to certain novel imgaged with the rear wall of the box at the middle provements in sewing compacts in which thread, thereof and the sides of the channel extend forbuttons, needles, pins, scissors, and other sewing wardly and terminate in spaced relation with articles are stored. the front wall of the box and thus the channel is 6 Itis customary to have many different spools provided at substantially the medial portion of 6l)^ of thread or different colors and counts and also the box. The portions 11 of the strip at the formany dilerent kinds of buttons and the like and ward ends of the sides of the channel are exthese are often kept in articles of furniture, such tended parallel to the front wall of the box toy as cabinets, sewing machines, and so forth, which the ends thereofwhereat the strip is bent to pro-r are not transportable and sometimes no particuvide end sections 12 that are engaged with the 65 lar place is provided for storage of these things ends of the box. Foot portions 13 are formed at and as a `result they are diicult to find when the free ends of the end sections 12 and these foot needed. One of the objects of my invention is to portions are securedto the rear wall of the box. provide a small, substantial, and portable com- The sides of the channel, the portion 11, the

15 pact in which such articles are stored. end sections 12 and end walls of the box, and the 70 Other objects are to provide a compact whereadjacentrportions of the rear wall of the box in spools of thread are rotatably mounted to faprovide compartments 14 and 15 and a compartcilitate withdrawal of the thread therefrom; to ment 16 is defined between the front wall of the provide a severing device so that a desired length box and the portions 11. The foot portions 20 of thread may be expeditiously cut off after hav- 13 and the end portions 11 extend above the ad- 75- ing been withdrawn from a spool; and to projacent wall of the box, the emending portions Yof vide an economical spool mounting wherein the the end sections providing guides for Orienting spools are so supported thatthe selection 0f a the lid on the box. The extended portions of the desired thread is facilitated and wherein the end sections are continued around the corners at spools may be installed or removed easily. the juncture of these portions with the sections 80;`

Still further objects are to provide ample stor- 11 and provide ears 17 on Athe portions 11 at the age space for loose articles, such as buttons, outer ends thereof. The ears 17 and the foot hooks and eyes, measuring and darning devices portions 13 have periorations therein. The comand the like and to confine these articles to prepertinents 14 and15 are closed by lids `18 and 19 vent spilling; and to provide for the storage of which have lugs 20 at corresponding corners 85 pins, needles, and scissors in easily accessible thereOf that are mounted in the perforatiOnS in places. the foot portions and ears to support the lids 18 In the selectedembodiment of the invention and 19 for pivotal movement toward and away illustrated in the accompanying drawing from closing position on the compartments 14 Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing my sewing and 15. A pin Cushion 21 iS mounted at the rear 90- compact partially open; end of the channel at the middle of the box and Fig. 2 -is a fragmentary top plan View of the a block of wood 22 or other insulating material spool mounting; is positioned in the other part ofthe channel. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of A magnetiaed trough 23 is mounted on the block 40 the spool mounting; 22 and is insulated from the middle parts of the 95.y

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the box. Lips 24 are provided on the edge portions line 4 4.- on Fig. 2; of the lid engageable with the side walls of the Fig. 5 is a detail view taken substantially on channel in alignment with the pin cushion 21 the line 5-5 on Fig.4; and the remaining portions of these edges of Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view showing my the lids are relieved so as to clear the magneti'zed 100 sewing compact when closed; and trough 2,3. Spring retaining lips 25 are provided Fig. 7 is a detail view showing a spool of thread on the relieved portions of the just mentioned mounted in a support therefor. edges of the lids and engage the sides of the chan- In the drawing I have illustrated a box 7 and a nel to retain the lids in position. To expedite y lid 8 of substantially the same size and shape. movement of the lids from closing position over 105 The box and lid are connected by hinges 9 secured the compartments, handles H are provided which to the rear walls thereof. The box is divided are pivotally mounted on the lids to be disposed into compartments by a continuous strip which is in depressed portions in the lids when the lids bent medially of its length to denne a channel are in closing position over the compartments.

having a web 10 at its rear end. The web is en- The pin cushion 21 provides a convenient place 1-10 to store pins and needles and may be rested in the magnetized trough and can be easily removed therefrom. Buttons, hooks and eyes, darning and measuring devices and the like may be stored in the compartments 14 and 15 and the lids 18 and 19 prevent spilling of such loose articles. Scissors may be rested on end in the compartment 16 and are easily accessible.

To retain the lid in closing position over the box I provide a spring clip 26 having an embossure 27 thereon which projects through an opening in the front wall of the lid and at the lower free edge of the spring clip there is an offset portion 28 which ts into an embossure 29 in the front wall of the box. When the lid is grasped in the hands, the thumb may be conveniently engaged with the embossure 27 to apply suflicient pressure to unseat the portion 28 from the embossure 29 whereupon the lid may be moved about the hinges 9 into open position. It is clear that the provision of the detaching means in the lid portion facilitates releasing of the lid and constitutes a marked advantage.

As has been stated, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a mounting for a plurality of spools and in the selected embodiment of the invention this arrangement is mounted in the lid 8. The mounting includes a plate 3G having Van upstanding flange about the edges thereof.

I provide openings 3l in the plate in two longitudinal rows and notches 32 are formed in the side edges of the plate in alignment with the openings 31. Another row of openings 31 are provided which are longitudinally aligned with each other but which are not transversely aligned with the openings 31 which are transversely as well as longitudinally aligned. The outermost oi the openings 31 are enlarged as indicated at 31" .and notches 32' are formed in the end edges of openings 31. Spool supports are provided which include limb portions 33 and 34 connected by a unitary web 35. Round bosses 36 are formed at substantially the medial portions of the limb portions 33 and 34 and are faced toward each other. Retaining lips are struck from the plate intermediate the various longitudinally aligned openings and preferably these lips are arranged in cooperating pairs and two pairs of lips are provided intermediate each longitudinally aligned pair of openings or notches and openings. The limb portions 33 and 34 are passed through adjacent longitudinally aligned openings or a notch and an adjacent opening, and the web 36 is engaged with the underside of the plate 30. The retaining lips 3'7 are clenched upon the web 35 and in this spool mountings are retained in position. After the spool mountings have all been secured on the plate 30, the underside of the plate is engaged with the inner side of the top of the lid and the inner end of the spring clip 26 is bent to engage the adjacent edge of the plate 30 to retain said plate tightly against the top of the lid, and an embossure 38 is formed on the wall of the lid opposite the spring clip and this embossure also serves to hold the plate tightly against the top of the lid. The free ends of the limbs 33 and 34 are inclined to provide finger portions. Preferably the spool mountings are made of an innately resilient material and the limb portions are inclined toward each other. Thus, by applying pressure on the nger portions at the ends of the limb portions these limb portions are bent away from each other and a spool may be positioned between the bosses 36 to engage in the bore of the spool to rotatably support the spool when the nger portions are released. Spools of larger diameter containing thread of the heavier counts are mounted between the limb portions 33 and 34. of which one is passed through the notch 32 and the other of which is passed through the opening 31". Since these spools are of larger diameter than the remaining spools they might interfere with the closing of the lid upon the box and hence the lids 18 and 19 are dished or recessed as indicated at 40 to accommodate these spools of larger diameter. Severing devices 41 are secured on the rear wall of the box and have sharpened notches 42 in the edges thereof and when a thread is passed into one of these notches and drawn to the end thereof, the thread is severed.

It is manifest from the foregoing description that I have provided a sewing compact wherein various articles needed in sewing and darning may be expeditiously stored. The spools are rotatably mounted and are so located that they may be readily viewed when the compact is open and therefore the selection of a desired thread is expedited. After the desired thread has been selected a length thereof may be withdrawn from the spool which will rotate to facilitate this withdrawal and the desired length may be severed by utilizing one of the severing devices 41. When all of the thread has been withdrawn from a particular spool, pressure may be applied to the finger portions whereupon the limb portions will be spread and the round bosses will be disengaged from the bore in the spool whereupon-the spool may be removed and another substituted therefor. In Fig. 6 of the drawing, spools S are shown as supported-in the spool mounting provided by the plate 30 and the parts secured thereto, and an examination of this View will reveal that there is ample clearance about these spools.

While I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a sewing compact, a plate having aligned openings therein and notches in the side edges thereof aligned with the openings, spool retaining members including limb portions projecting through adjacent of said openings and an adjacent opening and notch to project beyond one side of said plate, adjacent of said limb portions projecting through the same opening and respectively cooperating with the limbportion projecting through the adjacent opening or notch, means securing said spool retaining members to said plate, and means on said spool retaining members for rotatably supporting4 spools of thread.

2. A spool retaining device including a plate having openings therein, a resilient spool supporting member including limb portions projecting through said openings and beyond one side of said plate, said member including a web engaged with the other side of the plate, retaining lips formed on said plate intermediate said openings and clamped on said web to secure said spool supporting member to said plate, and means on said limb portions for rotatably supporting spools of thread.

3. A spool supporting device including a plate having aligned openings therein and notches in opposite edges therein aligned with said openings, spool supporting members including limb portions adapted to be respectively extended through adjacent openings and an adjacent opening and notch to project beyond one side of said plate, said spool supporting members including Webs engaged with the other side of said plate, means unitary with the plate and engaging said Webs to secure said spool supporting members to said plate, and means on said limb portions for rotatably supporting spools of thread between the limb portions extended through adjacent openings and an adjacent opening and notch.

4. A spool supporting device including a plate having aligned openings therein and notches in opposite edges thereof aligned with said ope ings, said plate having other openings therein aligned With each other but out of alignment with the first openings and certain of said openings being enlarged, said plate having other notches in the edges thereof aligned with the enlarged portions of said last-named openings, spool supporting members including limb portions adapted to be respectively extended through adjacent openings and an adjacent opening and notch to extend beyond one side of said plate, means unitary with said plate and securing said spool supporting members to said plate, and means on said limb portions for rotatably supporting spools of thread between the limb portions extended through adjacent openings and an adjacent opening and notch.

HENRY MCDONOUGH. 

